Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/510

 crescent); it should be stamped very fine (maigre). It must be remarked that these two kinds of shoes are only fit for horses with strong hoofs.' His recommendations for shoeing good hoofs to travel on all kinds of ground are as follows: 'The shoes must not be too long or project beyond the heels, but only reach the bars; neither must the hoofs, behind or before, be pared. The wall or crust alone should be diminished in proportion as it may be too long; this should be done evenly, and neither the sole nor frog must be cut; the latter should be allowed to project, if possible, above the shoe, so that it may come into contact with the ground. The shoe ought to be about the same strength throughout, or a little thicker and wider in the outer branch of the fore foot, and thin at the heels of the hind one. Be careful to stamp the nail-holes on the same line, not in a zigzag manner; the holes should not be too coarse, as there is then danger of pricking the horse, or binding the hoof with the stalk of the nail. The shoe should be stamped coarser outside than inside, because it may be necessary to leave it wider outside. Do not bend the shoes in adjusting them, nor arch them; they ought to be nearly fiat; though they might be slightly curved, so as to preserve the wall of the hoof. They should also follow the outline of the hoof, a little more to the outside than the inside. When fitting, the shoe should not be kept too long a time on the hoof, for fear of heating it. With this shoeing we may travel on slippery ground or grass land, in using for each shoe two nails with long heads, which will prevent the horse from slipping. Also during frost, on paved roads, or ice or snow, use these nails, as